Method for furnishing a warning signal, and method for generating a pre-microsleep pattern for detection of an impending microsleep event for a vehicle

• US 10,152,871 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Vandommele, Tjark, Wulf, Felix
• Primary Examiner(s): Girma, Fekadeselassie
• Application Number:
  US15/473,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20170287307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0827 due to sleepiness
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/06 indicating a condition of sleep, e.g. anti-dozing alarms

Abstract

A method for furnishing a warning signal of a detected imminent microsleep event includes reading in at least one behavior pattern that represents a behavior of a driver while driving the vehicle, comparing the behavior pattern with at least one stored pre-microsleep pattern that represents an individual behavior that has taken place or is taking place prior to a microsleep event on the part of the driver, and outputting the warning signal if a predetermined relationship exists between the behavior pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern.

Claims

1. A method for warning of an imminent microsleep event, the method comprising:

obtaining, by processing circuitry, at least one pattern of a driver while driving a vehicle;

comparing, by the processing circuitry, the obtained pattern to at least one stored pre-microsleep pattern that represents an individual behavior of the driver that occurs prior to a microsleep event; and

outputting, by the processing circuitry, a warning signal responsive to determining, based on a result of the comparison, that a predetermined relationship exists between the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern; and

generating the pre-microsleep pattern by reading in, and storing the pre-microsleep pattern in a data storage;

wherein at least one of the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern represents a gaze behavior,

wherein the warning signal is conditional upon the obtained pattern being identical, within a predefined tolerance range, to the pre-microsleep pattern within a tolerance rang, and

wherein at least one of the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern further represents at least one of a blink behavior, a head posture, and a body posture of the driver while driving.

2. A method for generating a pre-microsleep pattern for detection of an imminent microsleep event for a microsleep early detection apparatus of a vehicle, the method comprising:

reading in, by processing circuitry, the pre-microsleep pattern, the pre-microsleep pattern representing an individual behavior that has taken place or is taking place prior to a microsleep event of the driver; and

storing, by the processing circuitry and in a data storage, the pre-microsleep pattern;

wherein at least one of the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern represents a gaze behavior,

wherein the warning signal is conditional upon the obtained pattern being identical, within a predefined tolerance range, to the pre-microsleep pattern within a tolerance rang, and

wherein at least one of the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern further represents at least one of a blink behavior, a head posture, and a body posture of the driver while driving.

3. A microsleep early detection apparatus for warning of an impending microsleep event for a vehicle, comprising:

an interface to a behavior sensor unit;

processing circuitry; and

an output device;

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to;

obtain, based on information obtained via the interface, at least one pattern of a behavior of a driver while driving the vehicle;

compare the obtained pattern to at least one stored pre-microsleep pattern that represents an individual behavior of the driver that occurs prior to a microsleep event;

output, via the output device, a warning signal responsive to determining, based on a result of the comparison, that a predetermined relationship exists between the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern; and

generate the pre-microsleep pattern by reading in and storing the pre-microsleep pattern in a data storage;

wherein at least one of the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern represents a gaze behavior,

wherein the warning signal is conditional upon the obtained pattern being identical, within a predefined tolerance range, to the pre-microsleep pattern within a tolerance rang, and

wherein at least one of the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern further represents at least one of a blink behavior, a head posture, and a body posture of the driver while driving.

4. The microsleep early detection apparatus of claim 3, wherein the interface is configured to read in the behavior pattern optically.

5. The microsleep early detection apparatus of claim 3, wherein the interface is configured to read in the behavior pattern with a camera.

6. A generating apparatus for generating a pre-microsleep pattern for detection of an imminent microsleep event for a vehicle, comprising:

an interface;

processing circuitry; and

a data storage;

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to;

read in, via the interface, the pre-microsleep pattern, the pre-microsleep pattern representing an individual behavior of a driver that occurs prior to a microsleep event; and

store the read in pattern in the data storage;

wherein at least one of the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern represents a gaze behavior,

wherein the warning signal is conditional upon the obtained pattern being identical, within a predefined tolerance range, to the pre-microsleep pattern within a tolerance rang, and

wherein at least one of the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern further represents at least one of a blink behavior, a head posture, and a body posture of the driver while driving.

7. The generating apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pre-microsleep pattern is read in optically.

8. The generating apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pre-microsleep pattern is read in with a camera.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which are stored instructions, which are executable by a computer processor, comprising:

a program code arrangement having program code for warning of an imminent microsleep event, by performing the following;

obtaining at least one pattern of a driver while driving a vehicle;

comparing the obtained pattern to at least one stored pre-microsleep pattern that represents an individual behavior of the driver that occurs prior to a microsleep event;

outputting a warning signal responsive to determining, based on a result of the comparison, that a predetermined relationship exists between the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern; and

generating the pre-microsleep pattern by reading in and storing the pre-microsleep pattern in a data storage;

wherein at least one of the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern represents a gaze behavior,

wherein the warning signal is conditional upon the obtained pattern being identical, within a predefined tolerance range, to the pre-microsleep pattern within a tolerance rang, and

wherein at least one of the obtained pattern and the pre-microsleep pattern further represents at least one of a blink behavior, a head posture, and a body posture of the driver while driving.